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Osceola’s 2022 Independence Day Celebration begins Friday, July 1, and will run through Monday, July 4. The festivities begin at 5 p.m. on the 1st with the opening of the carnival, and wrap up with fireworks on the 4th at 10 p.m.
Presented by the Osceola Chamber-Main Street, this year’s theme for the celebration is “America’s Main Street.” The theme was chosen in correspondence with Osceola’s 25th anniversary of being a Main Street Community. Past themes have included “Parade of Stars,” “Women’s Suffrage Salute,” and “Let Freedom Ring.” The OCMS has been planning the activities for this year’s Fourth since January.
Events
Several returning and a few new events will be seen on and around the square this year.
Friday will feature the pet parade sponsored by Mayberry’s Coffee House and Eatery, with a performance on the bandstand in the evening by Red Dirt Renegade.
Saturday features a new “Play in the Spray” sponsored by the Osceola Fire Department, where a sprinkler will be hooked up to a fire truck in the street in front of the firehouse. The pedal pull will take place in the afternoon, followed by Mason’s Basement on the bandstand for the evening’s music. Luke Fox will also be performing at Revelton Distillery.
Sunday’s Patriotic Service led by LifePoint Pastor Chuck DeVos will be held at 11 a.m. on the bandstand, with a cornhole tournament sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 104 in the afternoon. Garrett & The Relics will round out the evening.
Monday the Fourth sees a full roster, starting with a pancake breakfast at 7 a.m. hosted by Boy Scout Troop 104. The 6th annual Firecracker Fun Run, sponsored by Clarke County Hospital, will take off at 9 a.m while on the courthouse lawn the Little Miss & Mister Contest will be held at the same time.
Judging for the parade starts at 10 a.m., with prizes for floats being given away this year.
“New this year we are giving away Warrior Dollars for floats,” said Ashleigh Eckels, Osceola Chamber-Main Street director. Prizes range from 50-200 Warrior Dollars. There are various categories of floats that will be awarded prizes.
The parade, marshaled by the 2022 community service award winner Vickie Binning, begins at 11 a.m. The winners of the Little Miss & Mister contest will get to ride with Binning in the parade.
Two tee times for the golf tournaments at the Osceola Municipal Golf Course are set for 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. A pie auction at 12:30 p.m. precedes the talent show at 1. A special musical tribute to the late Jeff Riekena will be held at 6, and is one that Eckels says people will not want to miss.
The fireworks show at 10 p.m. at Lakeside Hotel and Casino will finish out this year’s festivities.
Carnival tickets
The carnival runs all four days, open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on July 1, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on July 2 and 3, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4.
Armbands and sheets of tickets are on sale now at First National Bank (both locations), American State Bank (both locations), Community First Credit Union, First Interstate Bank, Fareway and HyVee. The presale with discounted pricing runs until July 1 at 3 p.m., after which full price tickets can be purchased at the carnival. Limited quantities of armbands are available for presale.
Forms
Forms for the pie auction, Little Miss & Mister and the talent show can be found at Osceola Chamber-Main Street’s office or on their website, along with a full list of rules for each event. Forms for vendors - both food and other - can also be found at OCMS or online, with rules and fees for each.
Sign up forms for the Firecracker Fun Run can be found on the hospital’s website.
Those interested in volunteering throughout the celebration are encouraged to contact OCMS. For a complete program of this year’s events, visit the OCMS’s website at: https://www.osceolachamber.com/4th-of-july/, on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/osceola4thofjuly/